HONG KONG – A global charity run aimed at raising awareness of the global water crisis will take place on January 10, 2025, at the West Kowloon Cultural District, with support from Hong Kong actors, child stars, and a popular YouTuber. The event, titled “Global 6K for Water,” is organized by World Vision Hong Kong and will feature actor Chan Kwok-pong, child actor Billy Tsui from the TV series “Counterattackers League 2,” and YouTuber Shi Shi as ambassadors.
Chan, an avid runner, recently gained attention for his endurance art project “Accompany You 24,” a filmed 240-kilometer street run. He described his involvement as a “very coincidental fate,” recalling the hardships of Hong Kong’s water rationing during his childhood. “Every family would wait for the water supply time and fill as many containers as they could,” Chan said. “I lived on the sixth floor of a tenement building, so carrying water meant climbing six flights of stairs. It was exhausting for both adults and children.” He added that worrying about water daily becomes a survival issue. “I don’t know how to answer that question. To survive, you just face it until you can’t anymore.”
Chan noted that city dwellers are relatively fortunate, making it difficult to discuss such issues with younger generations. “If there’s news like this, I use it to show the next generation how lucky we are,” he said. He believes events like the 6K run can foster family unity and cultivate empathy in children. “If there’s a chance, families participating together in charity activities is really great,” he added.
Working alongside young actor Billy Tsui and YouTuber Shi Shi, Chan admitted he watches YouTube regularly, mostly Thai-language tutorials. He praised the platform as “like having hundreds of millions of TV channels” but said he has no plans to launch his own channel. Billy, who also admires Shi Shi, expressed hope of becoming a positive influencer. “I love sports. If I had my own YouTube channel, I’d share my journey of becoming an athlete,” he said.
For Billy, this marks his first collaboration with World Vision. To prepare, he trained specifically for the run. “I’ve never run a marathon before. This time, I’ll run with my dad, mom, and my two-year-old brother. I want to teach him to cherish water,” he said. He thanked director Lau Wai-hang and actress Zhou Jiayi for encouraging him to participate and raise awareness about the needs of children in Africa.
Shi Shi, a YouTuber with over 200,000 subscribers, hopes to use her platform to promote meaningful causes. She plays pickleball and volleyball regularly and sees no need for extra training. “I think six kilometers is a clever distance—not too long, not too short. It’s a goal everyone can achieve,” she said.
The “Global 6K for Water” aims to highlight the daily struggle for clean water faced by millions worldwide. Participants are encouraged to run, walk, or jog the 6-kilometer route, symbolizing the average distance women and children in developing countries walk to collect water. Proceeds will support clean water projects in Africa.
Organizers expect hundreds of participants, including families and corporate teams, to join the event. Registration is open online, with early-bird discounts available until December 15. For more information, visit World Vision Hong Kong’s official website.
